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Reese Witherspoon wants to create more opportunities for women in Hollywood

Reese Witherspoon is a leading contender for top honors at this weekend's Emmy Awards, both for her performance in the hit HBO miniseries, "Big Little Lies," and her role as a producer for the drama series.

The actress turned to producing later in her career. After making indelible marks on the big screen through characters like Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde" and Tracy Flick in "Election," Witherspoon started her own production company and has been a force behind the cameras on Oscar-nominated films like "Gone Girl" and "Wild."

Reese Witherspoon

CBS News

In an interview with CBS News contributor and Vanity Fair executive West Coast editor Krista Smith, Witherspoon shared why she decided to shift gears in Hollywood.

"There was one moment where I read this script that came in and my agent sent it to me, and it was just awful… And I called my agent, I said, 'I'm not gonna do this. Who would wanna do this?'" Witherspoon said. "He said, 'Every actress in Hollywood wants this part.' And it was just a lightbulb moment for me that I thought… I have to do better. And I have to create more and do better for other women, and create opportunities for other women."

Watch the full conversation Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 on "CBS This Morning," which airs 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET/PT on CBS.